Recording apparatus and recording method

ABSTRACT

The amount of light reflected from a disk is detected, and it is determined according to the amount of reflected light whether the disk is a recordable disk or a rewritable disk. The disk is controlled according to the result of determination such that it is rotated at a constant angular velocity (CAV) or at a constant linear velocity (CLV) and recording is executed. Further, rotation driving control of the disk is selected according to factors other than the type of the disk, such as according to whether random recording is allowed or not, according to a recording state in the disk, according to whether an alternative area is provided or not, according to a recording start position, or according to whether initialization is required or not. CLV control or CAV control is appropriately selected for a disk at recording to suppress a reduction in accessibility and a reduction in data transmission rate.

This is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 09/907,216 filedJul. 17, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to recording apparatuses and recordingmethods related to disk rotation control, for example, in a case inwhich data is recorded into an optical disk.

2. Description of the Related Art

In these years, recordable optical disks such as compact discrecordables (CD-Rs) and rewritable optical disks such as compact discrewritables (CD-RWs) have been spread. For these recordable opticaldisks (hereinafter called disks), recording methods, such as apacket-write method, a track-at-once method, a session-at-once method,and a disk-at-once method, are selected. Disks are rotated byconstant-linear-velocity (CLV) control, in which a linear velocity ismade constant, so that recording is performed at a constant linearvelocity even at the inner-periphery side and the outer-periphery sideof a recording area.

As disk driving control other than CLV control, there is also knownconstant-angular-velocity (CAV) control, in which an angular velocity ismade constant.

Since a constant linear velocity is maintained in CLV control, recordingcan be performed in any position on a disk at the same data transmissionrate. To this end, however, rotation driving control needs to be appliedso as to obtain the rotation speed corresponding to a radial position onthe disk. It takes time to change the number of revolutions. Therefore,when recording is performed with random access, for example, the numberof revolutions needs to be changed in some cases and a long periodelapses from the start of recording to the end.

In CAV control, since a constant rotation speed is maintainedirrespective of a radial position on the disk, better accessibility isprovided than in CLV control, but a recording speed is differentdepending on a recording position (the outer-periphery side or theinner-periphery side). Therefore, a data transmission rate is lower whenrecording is performed at the inner-periphery side than when recordingis performed at the outer-periphery side.

It is demanded that an efficient recording operation be performed byselecting CLV control or CAV control according to the purpose ofrecording.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in consideration of the foregoingconditions. It is an object of the present invention to provide arecording apparatus and a recording method which appropriately selectconstant-linear-velocity control or constant-angular-velocity control tosuppress a reduction in accessibility and a reduction in data transferrate.

The foregoing object is achieved in one aspect of the present inventionthrough the provision of a recording apparatus including laser-lightemitting means for emitting laser light to a loaded disk; detectingmeans for detecting light reflected from the disk; driving means forrotating the disk; determination means for determining the type of theloaded disk; driving control means for controlling the driving meansaccording to the result of determination performed by the determinationmeans, so as to perform rotation driving at a constant angular velocityor at a constant linear velocity; and recording control means forexecuting recording for the disk in a state in which the driving controlmeans performs rotation driving control.

The foregoing object is achieved in another aspect of the presentinvention through the provision of a recording apparatus includingreading means for reading data from a loaded disk; determining means fordetermining the type of recording from data recorded into the disk,according to the reading output of the reading means; driving means forrotating the disk; driving control means for controlling the diskaccording to the determination output of the determination means so asto perform rotation driving at a constant angular velocity or at aconstant linear velocity; and recording control means for executingrecording for the disk in a state in which the driving control meansperforms rotation driving control.

The foregoing object is achieved in still another aspect of the presentinvention through the provision of a recording apparatus includingreading means for reading data from a loaded disk; detecting means fordetecting substituted-area-identification information indicating whethera substituted area is used in the disk, according to the reading outputof the reading means; driving means for rotating the disk; drivingcontrol means for controlling the driving means according to thesubstituted-area-identification information so as to perform rotationdriving at a constant angular velocity or at a constant linear velocity;and recording control means for executing recording for the disk in astate in which the driving control means performs rotation drivingcontrol.

The foregoing object is achieved in yet another aspect of the presentinvention through the provision of a recording apparatus including inputmeans for inputting at least a recording command from the outside;driving means for rotating the disk; determination means for determiningwhether initialization is required for a loaded disk, when the recordingcommand is input; and driving control means for controlling the drivingmeans according to the result of determination performed by thedetermination means, so as to perform rotation driving at a constantangular velocity or at a constant linear velocity.

The foregoing object is achieved in a further aspect of the presentinvention through the provision of a recording apparatus includingreading means for reading data from a loaded disk; detecting means fordetecting recording-start-position information according to data read bythe reading means; driving means for rotating the disk; driving controlmeans for controlling the driving means according to therecording-start-position information so as to perform rotation drivingat a constant angular velocity or at a constant linear velocity; andrecording control means for executing recording for the disk in a statein which the driving control means performs rotation driving control.

The foregoing object is achieved in a still further aspect of thepresent invention through the provision of a recording method includinga determination step of determining the type of a loaded disk; a step ofcontrolling according to the result of determination so as to rotate thedisk at a constant angular velocity or at a constant linear velocity;and a step of executing recording in a state in which the disk isrotated.

The foregoing object is achieved in a yet further aspect of the presentinvention through the provision of a recording method including arecording-type detecting step of detecting the type of recording of datarecorded into a disk; a step of controlling according to the type ofrecording used for the disk so as to rotate the disk at a constantangular velocity or at a constant linear velocity; and a step ofexecuting recording for the disk in a state in which the disk isrotated.

The foregoing object is achieved in an additional aspect of the presentinvention through the provision of a recording method including a stepof reading from a loaded disk substituted-area-identificationinformation indicating whether the disk is provided with a substitutedarea; a step of rotating the disk at a constant angular velocity or at aconstant linear velocity according to thesubstituted-area-identification information; and a step of executingrecording for the disk in a state in which the disk is rotated.

The foregoing object is achieved in a still additional aspect of thepresent invention through the provision of a recording method includinga determination step of determining whether initialization is requiredfor a loaded disk, when a recording command is input from the outside;and a control step of controlling according to the result ofdetermination performed in the determination step, so as to rotate thedisk at a constant angular velocity or at a constant linear velocity.

The foregoing object is achieved in a yet additional aspect of thepresent invention through the provision of a recording method includinga step of reading from a loaded disk recording-start-positioninformation for the disk; a step of controlling according to therecording-start-position information so as to rotate the disk at aconstant angular velocity or at a constant linear velocity; and a stepof executing recording for the disk in a state in which the disk isrotated.

Since the present invention employs the foregoing structures to allowCAV control and CLV control to be selected according to whether priorityis given to a data transmission rate or to an access time during datarecording and initialization, a reduction in access time and a reductionin data transmission rate are suppressed during recording.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a recording apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the frame structure of a disk according to theembodiment.

FIG. 3A is a view showing a sub-coding frame of the disk according tothe embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a view showing the structure of Q-channeldata.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a disk layout.

FIG. 5 is a view showing wobbling grooves.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a recording-area format.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of example processing for performing recordingcontrol according to the determination of the type of a rewritable disk.

FIG. 8 is a view showing an example structure of a UDF bridge volume.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of example processing for performing recordingcontrol according to whether random recording is allowed.

FIG. 10A to FIG. 10E are views showing track recording methods.

FIG. 11 is a view showing an example track descriptor block.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of example processing for performing recordingcontrol according to a recording state.

FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C are views showing an example defect managementarea.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing example processing for performingrecording control according to whether an alternative area is providedor not.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing example processing for performingrecording control according to whether initialization is required ornot.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing example processing for performingrecording control according to a recording start position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A disk drive apparatus (recording and reproduction apparatus) which canhandle recordable disks, such as CD-Rs and CD-RWs, and a disc-shapedrecording medium will be described below as embodiments of the presentinvention in the following order.

-   1. Structure of disk drive apparatus-   2. Sub-code and TOC-   3. Outline of CD format    -   3-1. Rewritable disks    -   3-2. Recording-area format-   4. Driving control based on disk reflectivity-   5. Driving control based on whether random recording is allowed or    not-   6. Driving control based on a recording format-   7. Driving control based on whether an alternative area is provided    or not-   8. Driving control based on whether initialization is performed or    not-   9. Driving Control Based on a Recording-Start Radial Position-   1. Structure of Disk Drive Apparatus

CD-Rs are write-once-type media using organic pigment in a recordinglayer. CD-RWs are media using a phase-change technology to allow data tobe rewritable.

The structure of a disk drive apparatus having a capability of recordingand reproducing data into and from CD-type disks, such as CD-Rs andCD-RWs, according to a present embodiment will be described by referringto FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, a disk 90 is a CD-R or a CD-RW. Data can also be read fromread-only disks, such as CD-digital audios (CD-DAs) and CD-ROMs, whenthey are used as the disk 90 in the disk drive apparatus.

The disk 90 is placed on a turntable 7, and rotated by a spindle motor 6at a constant linear velocity (CLV) or at a constant angular velocity(CAV) during a recording or reproduction operation. An optical pickup 1reads pit data (pits formed by phase changes, or pits formed byorganic-pigment changes (reflectivity changes)) on the disk 90. InCD-DAs and CD-ROMs, pits mean embossed pits.

The pickup 1 includes a laser diode 4 serving as a laser light source, aphoto-detector 5 for detecting reflected light, an objective lens 2serving as an output end of laser light, and an optical system (notshown) for illuminating a disk recording plane with the laser lightthrough the objective lens 2 and for guiding reflected light to thephoto-detector 5.

A monitoring detector 22 for receiving a part of the output light of thelaser diode 4 is also provided.

The objective lens 2 is held so as to be able to be moved in a trackingdirection and in a focus direction by a two-axis mechanism 3.

The entire pickup 1 is able to be moved in a disk radial direction by asled mechanism 8.

Laser emission in the laser diode 4 of the pickup 1 is driven by adriving signal (driving current) sent from a laser driver 18.

The photo-detector 5 detects the information of light reflected from thedisk 90, converts it to an electric signal corresponding to the amountof the received light, and sends to an RF amplifier 9.

The RF amplifier 9 is generally provided with an AGC circuit because theamount of light reflected from the disk 90 before, during, and afterdata recording into the disk 90 changes more than that from CD-ROMs, andfurther because the reflectivity of CD-RWs is largely different fromthose of CD-ROMs and CD-Rs.

The RF amplifier 9 includes a current-to-voltage conversion circuit anda matrix-calculation and amplification circuit for the current outputfrom a plurality of light-receiving elements serving as thephoto-detector 5, and generates required signals by matrix calculationprocessing. The RF amplifier 9 generates, for example, an RF signal,which is reproduced data, and a focus-error signal FE and atracking-error signal TE used for servo control.

The reproduced RF signal output from the RF amplifier 9 is sent to abinarizing circuit 11, and the focus-error signal FE and thetracking-error signal TE are sent to a servo processor 14.

On the disk 90, which is a CD-R or a CD-RW, a groove is formed inadvance serving as a guide for a recording track. The groove is wobbledby a signal obtained by frequency-modulating time information indicatingabsolute addresses on the disk. Therefore, in a recording operation,tracking servo can be applied by using groove information, and absoluteaddresses can be obtained from the wobbling information of the groove.The RF amplifier 9 extracts the wobbling information WOB by matrixcalculation processing, and sends it to an address decoder 23.

The address decoder 23 demodulates the sent wobbling information WOB toobtain absolute-address information, and sends it to a system controller10.

The groove information is also sent to a PLL circuit to obtain therotation-speed information of the spindle motor 6. The rotation-speedinformation is compared with reference-speed information to generate andoutput a spindle-error signal SPE.

The binarizing circuit 11 binarizes the reproduced RF signal obtained bythe RF amplifier 9 to obtain a so-called EFM signal (8-14 modulationsignal), and sends it to an encoding/decoding section 12.

The encoding/decoding section 12 includes a functional part serving as areproduction decoder and a functional part serving as a recordingencoder.

In reproduction, decoding processing, such as EFM demodulation, CIRCerror correction, deinterleaving, and CD-ROM decoding, is executed toobtain reproduced data which has been converted to CD-ROM-format data.

The encoding/decoding section 12 also applies sub-code extractionprocessing to data read from the disk 90 to send a TOC and addressinformation, which are sub codes (Q data), to the system controller 10.

In addition, the encoding/decoding section 12 generates a reproductionclock synchronized with the EFM signal by PLL processing, and executesthe above-described decoding processing by using the reproduction clock.The rotation-speed information of the spindle motor 6 is obtained fromthe reproduction clock. The rotation-speed information is compared withthe reference-speed information to generate and output a spindle-errorsignal SPE.

The encoding/decoding section 12 accumulates data decoded in theabove-described way in a buffer memory 20 during reproduction.

The data buffered in the buffer memory 20 is read and output as thereproduction output of the disk drive apparatus.

An interface section 13 is connected to an external host computer 80,and transmits and receives recording data, reproduced data, and variouscommands to and from the host computer 80. A SCSI interface or an ATAPIinterface is actually employed. During reproduction, reproduced datadecoded and stored in the buffer memory 20 is output to the hostcomputer 80 through the interface section 13.

Signals sent from the host computer 80, such as a read command and awrite command, are sent to the system controller 10 through theinterface section 13.

Recording data (such as audio data and CD-ROM data) is sent from thehost computer 80 during recording. The recording data is sent to thebuffer memory 20 through the interface 13 and buffered there.

In this case, the encoding/decoding section 12 applies encodingprocessing to the buffered recording data, such as encoding processingto change CD-ROM-format data to CD-format data (when the sent data isCD-ROM data), CIRC encoding and interleaving, sub-code addition, and EFMdemodulation.

A write strategy 21 applies waveform adjusting processing to the EFMsignal obtained by the encoding processing executed in theencoding/decoding section 12, and then, sends it to the laser driver 18as a laser driving pulse (write data WDATA).

The write strategy 21 performs recording compensation, namely, the fineadjustment of the most appropriate recording power in terms ofrecording-layer characteristics, the spot shape of laser light, and arecording linear velocity.

The laser driver 18 sends the laser driving pulse received as the writedata WDATA to the laser diode 4 to execute laser-light-emission driving.With this operation, pits (such as phase-change pits and pigment-changepits) corresponding to the EFM signal are formed on the disk 90.

An automatic-power-control (APC) circuit 19 is a circuit section forcontrolling a laser output so as to be constant irrespective of thetemperature and other factors while monitoring the laser output power bythe output of the monitoring detector 22. The APC circuit controls thelaser driver 18 such that the laser output level matches a target laseroutput level given from the system controller 10.

A servo processor 14 generates various servo driving signals, such as afocus driving signal, a tracking driving signal, a sled driving signal,and a spindle driving signal, from the focus-error signal FE and thetracking-error signal TE sent from the RF amplifier 9 and thespindle-error signal SPE sent from the encoding/decoding section 12 orthe address decoder 20 to execute a servo operation.

More specifically, the focus driving signal FD and the tracking drivingsignal TD are generated from the focus-error signal FE and thetracking-error signal TE, and are sent to the two-axis driver 16. Thetwo-axis driver 16 drives a focus coil and a tracking coil in thetwo-axis mechanism 3 of the pickup 1. With this operation, a trackingservo loop and a focus servo loop are formed by the pickup 1, the RFamplifier 9, the servo processor 14, the two-axis driver 16, and thetwo-axis mechanism 3.

In response to a track jump instruction sent from the system controller10, the tracking servo loop is turned off. A jump driving signal isoutput to the two-axis driver 16 to execute a track jump operation.

The servo processor 14 also sends a spindle driving signal generatedaccording to the spindle error signal SPE, to a spindle-motor driver 17.The spindle-motor driver 17, for example, applies a three-phase drivingsignal to the spindle motor 6 according to the spindle driving signal toachieve the CLV rotation or the CAV rotation of the spindle motor 6. Theservo processor 14 also generates a spindle driving signal according toa spindle kick/brake control signal sent from the system controller 10to make the spindle-motor driver 17 operate (such as start, stop,accelerate, or decelerate) the spindle motor 6.

The servo processor 14 further generates a sled driving signal accordingto a sled error signal obtained as a lower-frequency component of thetracking error signal TE and according to access execution controloperated by the system controller 10, and sends it to a sled driver 15.The sled driver 15 drives the sled mechanism 8 according to the sleddriving signal. The sled mechanism 8 includes a main shaft for holdingthe pickup 1, a sled motor, and a transmission gear (none of themshown). The sled driver 15 drives the sled motor 8 according to the sleddriving signal to achieve a predetermined slide movement of the pickup1.

The system controller 10, formed of a microcomputer, controls variousoperations, described above, in the servo system and in the recordingand reproduction system.

The system controller 10 executes various processes according tocommands sent from the host computer 80.

When the host computer 80 sends a read command for requesting thetransmission of data recorded in the disk 90, for example, seekoperation control is first achieved with a specified address being setto the target. More specifically, the system controller 10 sends aninstruction to the servo processor 14 to make the pickup 1 achieve anaccess operation with the address specified by a seek command being setto the target.

Then, operation control required for sending data disposed in aspecified data zone to the host computer 80 is performed. Specifically,the data is read from the disk 90, decoded, buffered, and sent.

When the host computer 80 sends a write command, the system controller10 first moves the pickup 1 to an address (next writable address) wheredata is to be written. Then, the system controller 10 makes theencoding/decoding section 12 apply encoding processing, described above,to data transmitted from the host computer 80 to change it to an EFMsignal.

As described above, write data WDATA is sent from the write strategy 21to the laser driver 18 to execute recording.

-   2. Sub-code and TOC

A TOC and a sub-code recorded into a lead-in area of a CD-format diskwill be described below.

In a CD-format disk, the minimum unit of recorded data is called aframe. One block is formed of 98 frames.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of a frame.

One frame is formed of 588 bits. The first 24 bits indicatesynchronization data, the following 14 bits indicate a sub-code data,and data and parity are disposed thereafter.

98 frames each having this structure constitute one block. Sub-code dataextracted from 98 frames is collected to form one-block sub-code data(sub-coding frame) like that shown in FIG. 3A.

Sub-code data extracted from the first and second frames (frame 98 n+1and frame 98 n+2) of the 98 frames serve as synchronization patterns.Channel data each having 96 bits, in other words, P, Q, R, S, T. U, V,and W sub-code data, is formed from the third frame to the 98-th frame(frame 98 n+3 to frame 98 n+98).

The P channel and Q channel are used for access management and othermanagement. The P channel only indicates pause sections between tracks,and the Q channel is used for more detailed control. FIG. 3B shows thestructure of the Q channel data having 96 bits.

Four bits Q1 to Q4 are control data, and used for determining the numberof audio channels, emphasis, CD-ROM, and whether digital copy is allowedor not.

The next four bits Q5 to Q8 are ADR, and used to indicate the mode ofsub-Q data.

72 bits Q9 to Q80 following the ADR is sub-Q data, and the remaining Q81to Q96 is CRC.

-   3. Outline of CD Format    -   3-1. Rewritable Disks

In recordable disks such as CD-Rs and CD-RWs, only a laser-light guidinggroove is formed on the substrate before recording. When the disk isilluminated with laser light which is data-modulated by a high power,the reflectivity of a recording film changes. With this principle, datais recorded.

A recording film which allows recording only once is formed on CD-Rs.This recording film is made from organic pigment. A high power laser isused to achieve drilling recording.

A recording film which allows multiple-times rewriting is formed onCD-RWs. Phase-change recording is employed. Data is recorded as areflectivity difference between a crystalline state and anon-crystalline state.

Since reproduction-only CDs and CD-Rs have a reflectivity of 0.7 or moreand CD-RWs have that of about 0.2 due to physical characteristics,reproduction apparatuses designed for disks having a reflectivity of 0.7or more cannot reproduce data from CD-RWs. Therefore, anautomatic-gain-control (AGC) function for amplifying weak signals isadded to allow reproduction.

In CD-ROMs, the lead-in area is disposed at an inner-periphery areahaving radii of 46 mm to 50 mm, and no bit is disposed more inside thelead-in area.

As shown in FIG. 4, in CD-Rs and CD-RWs, a program memory area (PMA) anda power calibration area (PCA) are formed at the inner-periphery side ofthe lead-in area.

Drive apparatuses which can handle CD-Rs and CD-RWs record data in thelead-in area and in the program area following the lead-in area, usedfor recording actual data, and reproduce recorded contents in the sameway as for CD-DAs.

The PMA temporarily stores the mode of a recording signal, andstart-and-end-time information every time data is recorded into a track.After data has been recorded into all tracks to be used, a table ofcontents (TOC) is formed in the lead-in area according to theinformation.

The PCA is used for writing data on trial in order to obtain the mostappropriate laser power value for recording.

On CD-Rs and CD-RWs, a groove (guiding groove) constituting a data trackis formed in a wobbling manner in order to control a recording positionand spindle rotation.

The groove is wobbled according to a signal modulated by informationsuch as an absolute address, and therefore includes the information suchas the absolute address. The absolute-time information represented bythe wobbled groove is called an absolute time in pregroove (ATIP).

The wobbled groove is meandered in a slightly sine-wave manner as shownin FIG. 5. Its central frequency is 22.05 kHz and the amount of wobblingis about ˜0.03 μm.

The following pieces of information is encoded by FM modulation in thewobbled groove.

-   -   Time-Axis Information

This time-axis signal is called ATIP, increases monotonously toward theouter periphery of the disk from the beginning of the program area, andis recorded and used for address control for data recording.

-   -   Recommended Recording Laser Power

This is the recommended value of the manufacturer. Since the mostappropriate power actually changes according to various conditions, aprocess for determining the most appropriate recording power beforerecording is provided. This process is called optimum power control(OPC).

-   -   Usage of Disk

This is called an application code. The following items apply.

Restricted Use

-   -   General purpose: For general business    -   Special purpose: For special cases (such as for photo CDs and        “karaoke” CDs)        Unrestricted Use: For Commercial Audio    -   3-2. Recording-Area Format

A format which the disk drive apparatus uses to record data into arecording area of a recordable optical disk will be described below.

FIG. 6 is a view showing the format of the recording area of arecordable optical disk.

The disk drive apparatus formats the disk so as to form a powercalibration area (PCA), an intermediate recording area (program memoryarea, PMA), a lead-in area, one or a plurality of tracks, and a lead-outarea in that order from the inner periphery.

When user data is recorded, for example, by the packet-write method,each track is divided into a plurality of packets and recording isperformed for each packet.

The PCA shown in FIG. 6 is used for test recording for adjusting alaser-light output power. When a CD-RW is used as the disk 90, a testarea and a count area, for example, are formed in the PCA. When the diskdrive apparatus 0 records data into the disk 90 for the first time, OPCis performed in the PCA. A recording power obtained in OPC is specifiedas the most appropriate recording power used for recording into the disk90.

Each track records user data.

The lead-in area and the lead-out area record table-of-contents (TOC)information, such as the start address and the end address of a track,and various pieces of information related to the optical disk. The nextwritable address, which corresponds to the starting position for thenext recording, is also managed in the lead-in area and the lead-outarea.

The PMA records the table-of-contents information of a track fortemporary storage.

Each track is formed of a pre gap for recording track information and auser-data area for recording user data.

-   4. Driving Control Based on Disk Reflectivity

As described above, CD-Rs and CD-RWs have different reflectivities dueto their physical characteristics. Therefore, by selecting CLV controlor CAV control according to the reflectivity detected before datarecording, efficient recording is performed.

For CD-Rs, which are recordable, for example, CLV control is performedsince sequential-access recording is more appropriate than random-accessrecording. For CD-RWs, which are rewritable, CAV control is performedsince random-access recording is appropriate.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of example processing for applying driving controlto a disk by determining the type (recordable or rewritable) of the diskaccording to its reflectivity.

When it is determined in step S101 that the host computer 80 sends awrite command, the processing proceeds to recording (S102). Laser lightis emitted to the disk 90, and a process for proceeding to a recordingoperation, such as OPC is performed.

When a recording start process is performed, receiving of data sent, forexample, from the host computer 80 is started (S103). The amount(reflectivity) of light reflected from the disk 90 is detected (S104),and it is determined whether the loaded disk 90 is recordable (CD-R) orrewritable (CD-RW) (S105). This determination is performed according tothe condition that the reflectivity of CD-Rs is 0.7 or more and that ofCD-RWs is about 0.2, as described before.

When is it determined in step S105 that the disk 90 is a rewritabledisk, the disk 90 is rotated by CAV control (S106) to start writing data(S107). When is it determined in step S105 that the disk 90 is not arewritable disk but a recordable disk, the disk 90 is rotated by CLVcontrol (S108) to start writing data (S107).

When writing data is started, it is determined whether writing has beenfinished (S109). When it is determined that writing has been finished,recording started in step S102 is terminated (S110).

As described above, the type (recordable/rewritable) of the disk isdetermined, for example, according to the reflectivity and rotationdriving is controlled, so that recording suited to the characteristicsof the disk is performed. Therefore, data recording is allowed such thatan access time or a data transmission rate is not reduced for each disk.

-   5. Driving Control Based on Whether Random Recording is Allowed or    not

As described above, CD-RWs, which are rewritable, are disks suited torandom recording. A case will be described next in which it isdetermined, for example, according to a file system whether randomrecording is performed, and rotation driving control is performed for adisk.

Example determination data in a file system will be described first.

FIG. 8 shows an example volume structure of a universal disc formatbridge (UDF), which is a file system employed for disks such as CD-RWsand DVDs. The UDF bridge is a file system having a compatibility, tosome extent, with the ISO 9660 file system, and has the same contents asthe ISO 9660 file system in LBA “0” to LBA “20.”

When a CD-R conforms to ISO 9660, for example, a primary volumedescriptor (PVD) is written in LBA “16” and information indicating thenature of an application recorded into the disk is specified as the PVDinformation.

In a CD-RW employing the UDF bridge, LBA “256” indicates an anchorvolume descriptor pointer as shown in FIG. 8, and an address where a PVDof the UDF is specified is recorded therein.

Therefore, To determine whether the file system employed in the disk 90is ISO 9600 or the UDF bridge, it is necessary to use the informationspecified in LBA “16” and LBA “256” as type-identification informationto determine the type of the disk.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of example processing for applying rotationdriving control by determining according to the file system whetherrandom recording is allowed or not.

The same processes are used in step S201 to step S203 as in step S101 tostep S103. Specifically, receiving of recording data is started inresponse to a recording request sent, from example, from the hostcomputer 80.

The file system shown in FIG. 8 is read from a predetermined position inthe disk 90 (S204), and it is determined according to the informationspecified in LBA “16” and LBA “256” of the UDF bridge whether randomrecording is suited to the loaded disk or not (S205).

When it is determined in step S205 that random recording is allowed inthe disk 90, the disk 90 is rotated by CAV control (S206) to startwriting data (S207). When it is determined in step S205 that the disk isnot a rewritable disk but a recordable disk, the disk 90 is rotated byCLV control (S208) to start writing data (S207).

When writing data is started, it is determined whether writing has beenfinished (S209). When it is determined that writing has been finished,recording started in step S202 is terminated (S210).

With this processing, recording is performed in disks suited to randomrecording, such as CD-RWs, by CAV control, which is suited to randomaccess. Recording is performed in disks not suited to random recording,such as CD-Rs, which are recordable, by CLV control, which has anefficient data transmission rate.

It is also possible to determine, for example, according to thereflectivity of the disk 90 whether the disk is suited to randomrecording, in the same way as described by referring to FIG. 7.

-   6. Driving Control Based on a Recording Format

A case will be described next in which it is determined whether a trackis closed in a disk into which data has already been recorded and datais to be further recorded, and rotation driving control is performedaccording to whether packets to be further recorded are of afixed-length type or a variable-length type.

A data recording method for the disk 90 will be first described byreferring to FIG. 10.

In a recording method called disk at once shown in FIG. 10A, a lead-inarea indicating information such as a data-recording start position,data (track), and a lead-out area indicating information such as adata-recording end position are recorded at once.

In a recording method called track at once shown in FIG. 10B, data isrecorded in units of tracks. When data has been recorded in units oftracks, a lead-in area into which information such as a trackwriting-start position is recorded is formed before the track, and alead-out area into which information such as a track writing-endposition is recorded is formed after the track. The lead-in area, thetrack, and the lead-out area, which have been formed in this way,constitute a session. After track recording is finished, the lead-inarea and the lead-out area are formed to close the session. In otherwords, the track is closed when the session is closed.

In the track-at-once recording method, a plurality of tracks can beformed between the lead-in area and the lead-out area. In this case, ajoint called a link block is formed between tracks. In the track-at-oncerecording method, a plurality of sessions can be formed as session #1and session #2, as show in FIG. 10C.

In a recording method called session at once shown in FIG. 10D,recording is performed in units of sessions. Therefore, even when aplurality of tracks are formed between the lead-in area and the lead-outarea, link blocks shown in FIGS. 10B and 10C are not formed. Also in thesession-at-once recording method, a plurality of sessions can be formedas session #1 and session #2, as shown in FIG. 10E.

When track recording is performed in this way, a packet-write method, inwhich data is recorded in units of packets, is, for example, employed.

The packet-write method includes fixed-length packet recording, in whichthe data length of a packet is fixed, and a variable-length packetrecording, in which the data length of a packet is variable. CAV controlis used in fixed-length packet recording, and CLV control is used invariable-length packet recording.

Since fixed-length packets and variable-length packets are not mixed inone track, when fixed-length packet recording is started in a track, forexample, fixed-length packet recording is performed until the track isclosed.

Which type of packets is used is recorded in a track descriptor table ina pre-gap disposed at the top of each track.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a track descriptor block (hereinafter called aTDB by its acronym). The TDB is recorded, for example, into a pre-gap,disposed at the top of a track.

In TDB, byte 0 to byte 7 are defined as a track descriptor table. Inthis track descriptor table (hereinafter called a TDT by its acronym),three bytes from byte 0 to byte 2 store 54 h, 44 h, and 49 h to indicatetrack descriptor identification (TDI) by the ASCII code.

Byte 3 and byte 4 store the block number of a second portion of thepre-gap, encoded in binary coded decimal (BCD) as pre-gap lengthinformation.

Byte 6 stores lowest-track-number-listed information in the TDB, andbyte 7 stores highest-track-number-listed information of the TDB.

Byte 8 and subsequent bytes are defined as a track descriptor unit.

Byte 8 stores track-number information of a content to which the trackdescriptor unit belongs.

Byte 9 stores information indicating the recording method used forrecording the content. More specifically, when the content is recordedby the packet-write method, the method is indicated therein, andfurther, identification information such as whether fixed-length packetsor variable-length packets are used is indicated.

Byte 10 to byte 12 indicate size information of packets in the block.

In the track descriptor block, byte 13 and subsequent bytes are not yetused.

When the TDB recorded in each track is referred to as described above,whether the track is recorded with fixed-length packets orvariable-length packets is determined.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of example processing, when data is furtherrecorded by the track-at-once method or the session-at-once method, forapplying rotation driving control to a disk at the lead-in areaaccording to a recording-state information of, for example, whether atrack is closed or not.

The same processes are used in steps S301, S302, and S303 as in stepS101 to step S103.

When a recording operation has been started in response to a recordingrequest sent from the host computer 80 and receiving data is started, itis determined whether the track is closed or not (S304). In thisdetermination process, whether the lead-in area and the lead-out area,for example, have been formed for the track is determined. Morespecifically, when the lead-in area and the lead-out area have beenformed, it is determined that the track is closed.

When it is determined that the track is closed, a new track is recorded.Therefore, the processing proceeds to step S305, and control isperformed such that the disk is rotated by rotation driving controlspecified, for example, as a default in the disk drive apparatus or byrotation driving control specified by the host computer 80. Writing datais started (S306), and whether writing has been finished is determined(S308). When it is determined that writing has been finished, recordingstarted in step S302 is terminated (S309).

When it is determined in step S304 that the track is not closed data isfurther recorded into the track. In step S307, control is performed suchthat the disk is rotated in the same rotation driving control as in theprevious recording. More specifically, it is determined, for example,according to the TDB shown in FIG. 11 whether the track is recorded withfixed-length packets or variable-length packets. Therefore, whenrecording is performed in the track with fixed-length packets, forexample, CAV control is performed. When recording is performed withvariable-length packets, CLV control is performed.

When rotation driving control is performed in this way, writing data isstarted (S306), it is determined whether writing has been finished(S308), and recording is terminated (S309).

Since it is determined whether the track is closed, and whetherrecording is performed in the track with fixed-length packets orvariable-length packets is determined by referring to the TDB, rotationdriving control suited to the current recording state of the disk 90 isapplied for recording.

-   7. Driving Control Based on Whether an Alternative Area is Provided    or not

Example processing for applying rotation driving control to the disk 90according to whether an alternative area is provided for the disk intowhich data is recorded.

The disk 90 is checked for a defective portion when the disk is, forexample, formatted or in a recording or reading operation. If adefective portion is found, required switching processing is performedto substitute another area for the defective area. Information of thedefective area and the substituted area is recorded as defect managementinformation, for example, into the lead-in area or the lead-out area ofthe disk 90.

To this end, the lead-in area or the lead-out area is provided with adefect management area DMA into which management information of adefective area is recorded.

When such a defective area is found, it is demanded that recording beperformed with CAV control with priority being given to accessibilityassuming that access processing corresponding to the defective area isperformed during recording. Therefore, whether a defective area isdetected is determined, and rotation driving control of the disk 90 isperformed according to the result of the determination.

The DMA includes a disk definition structure DDS, a primary defect list(PDL), and a secondary defect list (SDL) as defect managementinformation as shown in FIG. 13A.

The disk definition structure DDS is used for managing the positionwhere information for defect management is recorded, and stores theaddresses of the primary defect list PDL, the secondary defect list(SDL), and an alternative area. More specifically, when the disk isread, the disk definition structure DDS is first read to access actualinformation for defect management.

The primary defect list PDL stores, as shown in FIG. 13B, the defectaddresses dfap1, dfaP2, dfaP3, . . . of found defective blocks, and alsostores the number of defective blocks at the top as a PDL entry count.

The form of defect management performed with the primary defect list PDLis a form called slipping and is generated, for example, when the diskis formatted.

For defect management, the disk is checked for a defective block on theentire recording surface when the disk is manufactured or formatted.

For defective blocks found in this checking, the addresses thereof aresequentially recorded in the primary defect list PDL as defect addressesdfaP1, dfaP2, dfaP3, . . . .

In this case, the block disposed immediately after a found defectiveblock is used as the alternative block of the defective block. In otherwords, blocks used for recording are shifted backward as defectiveblocks are found, and this operation is called slipping processing.

The secondary defect list is used for managing a defective block foundwhen the user uses the disk.

The secondary defect list SDL stores, as shown in FIG. 13C, the defectaddresses dfaS1, dfaS2, dfaS3, . . . of found defective blocks, and alsostores the addresses rpa1, rpa2, rpa3, . . . of alternative blockscorrespondingly to the defect addresses. At the top, the number ofblocks found as defective and registered is recorded as a SDL entrycount.

The form of defect management performed with the secondary defect listSDL is a form called linear placement, and the contents of the list areupdated (added) as a defective block is found when the user uses thedisk.

More specifically, a block in a predetermined area is assigned as thealternative block of a defective block found when the user uses thedisk. Therefore, in the secondary defect list, a total of 14 to 16 bytesare used as data for one found defective block, in which the defectaddress dfa(x) of several bytes (7 to 8 bytes) and the alternativeaddress rpa(x) of several bytes (7 to 8 bytes) are included.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of example processing for applying rotationdriving control to the disk 90 according to whether the disk is providedwith a substituted block. In FIG. 14, steps S401 to S403 correspond tosteps S101 to S103, described above, and a description thereof isomitted.

When receiving data is started in step S403, the DMA formed, forexample, in the lead-in area is read (S404), and it is determinedwhether the loaded disk has an alternative area (S405).

When it is determined in step S405 that a substituted block is used, thedisk is rotated by CAV control (S406), and writing data is started(S407). When it is determined in step S405 that there is no substitutedblock, the disk 90 is rotated by CLV control (S408), and writing data isstarted (S407).

When writing data is started, it is determined whether writing has beenfinished (S409). When it is determined that writing has been finished,recording started at step S402 is terminated (S410).

With this operation, rotation driving is applied to a disk having asubstituted block, by CAV control with priority being given toaccessibility, and rotation driving is applied to a disk having noalternative area, by CLV control with priority being given to a datatransmission rate.

-   8. Driving Control Based on Whether Initialization is Performed or    not

Example processing for applying rotation driving control to the disk 90according to whether initialization is performed for the disk will bedescribed next by referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 15. Theinitialization is a process for checking, for example, a rewritableblank disk for which recording has not yet been performed for adefective area and others to perform a switching process.

When a write command is sent from the host computer 80 (S501), forexample, it is determined before recording whether initialization isrequired for the disk 90 (S502). Initialization is required, forexample, for a case in which the disk is rewritable (CD-RW) and is ablank disk into which data has not yet been recorded, as describedabove.

When it is determined that initialization is required, the disk 90 isrotated by CLV control (S503), and initialization is executed (S504).When it is determined in step S502 that initialization is not required,in other words, it is determined that the disk is a rewritable disk forwhich recording was performed in the past or is a recordable disk, thedisk 90 is rotated by CAV control (S505), and user data is recorded(S506).

After initialization is performed in step S504, the control may bechanged to CAV control to record user data.

As described above, the rotation driving control method for the disk 90can be changed between a case in which initialization is performed and acase in which user data is recorded. Therefore, efficient initializationwith priority being given to a transmission rate is allowed.Alternatively, user data can be recorded with priority being given toaccessibility.

Example processing for applying rotation driving control to the disk 90according to the radial position in the disk where recording is startedwill be described next.

In this case, a boundary position is set between a inner-periphery sideand an outer-periphery side, for example, based on addresses on the disk90; CLV control is achieved at the inner-periphery side of the boundarywith priority being given to a data transmission rate; and CAV controlis achieved at the outer-periphery side with priority being given toaccessibility.

As addresses indicating positions on the disk 90, physical addresses(physical block addresses, PBA) and logical addresses (logical blockaddresses, LBA) are used. Continuous values are assigned to blocks fromthe top of the lead-in area to the end of the lead-out area as physicaladdresses. They are so-called absolute addresses on the disk.

Logical addresses are assigned to a user area to be accessed duringusual recording and reproduction operations. The top block of the userarea has a logical address of zero. In other words, the address valuecorresponding to the lead-in area is added to a logical address as anoffset to obtain the corresponding physical address.

Therefore, for example, the LBA corresponding to the next writableaddress stored in the lead-in area, that is, a writing start position isdetermined as a radial position on the disk 90 to perform rotationdriving of the disk 90.

-   9. Driving Control Based on a Recording-Start Radial Position

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of example processing for applying rotationdriving control to the disk 90 according to the position where datarecording is started. In FIG. 16, step S601 to step S603 correspond tostep S101 to step S103, described above, and a description thereof willbe omitted.

When receiving data is started in step S603, it is determined, forexample, according to the next writable address whether therecording-start position (radial position) is located more inside than apredetermined radial position (in the inner-periphery side) or moreoutside than the predetermined radial position (in the outer-peripheryside) in the disk 90 (S604).

When it is determined in step S604 that the recording-start position isat the outer-periphery side, the disk 90 is rotated by CAV control(S605), a strategy switching process corresponding to theouter-periphery side is performed (S606), and writing data is started(S607). When it is determined in step S604 that the recording-startposition is at the inner-periphery side of the disk 90, the disk 90 isrotated by CLV control (S608), and writing data is started (S607).

When writing data is started, it is determined whether writing has beenfinished (S609). When it is determined that writing has been finished,recording started in step S602 is terminated (S610).

As described above, since the rotation driving control of the disk 90 isperformed according to the data-writing-start position in the radialdirection of the disk 90, appropriate recording control is performed atthe inner-periphery side or the outer-periphery side. It is alsopossible that recording is started by CLV control when thedata-writing-start position is located at the inner-periphery side, andthe control is switched to CAV control when the recording positionreaches the predetermined radial position.

Rotation driving control may be performed such that, when the disk 90has an outside dimension (disk diameter) of 12 cm, for example,recording is performed according to the processing shown in FIG. 16, andwhen the disk 90 has an outside dimension of 8 cm, for example, CLVcontrol is applied to the disk at the entire recording area.Alternatively, recording may be executed by CAV control for a diskhaving an outside diameter of 8 cm or more, for example, and by CLVcontrol for a disk having an outside diameter of 8 cm or less.

As described above, the present invention allows recording to beexecuted by CAV control or CLV control according to the amount ofreflected light obtained when laser light is emitted to the disk. Inaddition, type-identification information recorded into the disk is readand recording can be executed by CAV control or by CLV control accordingto the type-identification information.

Therefore, the type of a disk is determined, and recording is performedby servo control suited to the type of the disk.

It is determined according to recording-instruction information whethera track is closed or not. When the track is not closed, recording can beexecuted by CAV control or by CLV control according to packetinformation.

Therefore, recording is performed by servo control suited to therecording state of the disk.

Recording can also be performed by CAV control or by CLV controlaccording to switching-identification information recorded into thedisk.

Therefore, when a substituted area is used, for example, recording isperformed by CAV servo control with priority being given toaccessibility.

Further, CAV control or CLV control is allowed according to whetherinitialization or recording is performed for the disk.

Therefore, initialization is efficiently performed by CLV control withpriority being given to a transmission rate. User data is also recordedwith priority being given to accessibility.

Furthermore, CAV control or CLV control is allowed according to arecording-start position on the disk.

Therefore, recording control suited to the inner-periphery side or theouter-periphery side of the disk is performed.

In other words, according to a recording apparatus and recording methodof the present invention, it is possible to select CAV control or CLVcontrol according to whether priority is given to a data transmissionrate or to an access time correspondingly to the type of a disk or adata recording method. Therefore, recording is performed with areduction in an access time for a predetermined recording area and areduction in a data transmission rate being suppressed.

1. A recording apparatus comprising: laser-light emitting means foremitting laser light to a loaded disk; detecting means for detectinglight reflected from the loaded disk; driving means for rotating theloaded disk; determination means for determining a type of the loadeddisk; driving control means for controlling the driving means accordingto a result of determination performed by the determination means, so asto perform rotation driving at one of a constant angular velocity and ata constant linear velocity; and recording control means for executingrecording for the loaded disk in a state in which the driving controlmeans performs rotation driving control; wherein the detecting meanscomprises reflected-light detecting means for detecting an amount oflight reflected from the loaded disk, and the determination meansdetermines the type of the loaded disk according to a detection outputof the reflected-light detecting means, and wherein the detecting meansfurther comprises a monitoring detector, and further comprising: asystem controller; and a power control circuit for controlling a laserlight output level of said laser-light emitting means using an outputsignal of the power control circuit, so that the laser light outputlevel matches a target level provided by the system controller.